Display assembly



July 29,1958 H. EISEN $2,844,901*

DISPLAY ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 20, 1956 INyENTOR. HAE/erfjff/SEA/ BY United States Patent DISPLAY ASSEMBLY Harry Eisen, Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 20, 1956, Serial No. 605,084

13 Claims. (Cl. 40-158) My invention relates generally to assemblies of paper or other suitable material containing figures adapted to be cut out therefrom, and more particularly to improved assemblies and method of severing these cutouts.

Cutting out figures of animals, people, etc., printed on sheets of paper, has always been a source of great amusement to children. One method of providing these cutouts is to appropriately position and annotate a iigure on a sheet of paper so as to suggest its being cut out by scissors. paper around the border of a gure so that the figure may be pressed from the paper by hand. In these methods the cutout is so arranged that it is exposed to view before it is severed from the paper.

In my invention I employ a new method of providing cutouts which has several significant advantages over presently known methods. In the first place, my invention allows the cutouts to 'be removed from thepaper without the use of scissors and without the necessity of pressing through perforations. Also, my invention makes it possible for a figure to be hidden from view, and only exposed after the cutout is removed from the sheet. This adds a pleasing element of surprise which is quite intriguing.

It is thereforev a major object of my invention to provide an improved display assembly from which cutouts can be removed without the use of scissors or perforations, and which allows a figure to be hidden from view until the cutout is removed from the sheet, thus adding the element of surprise. v

it is also an object of my invention to provide a'display assembly in which a cutout is severed from the assembly by merely pulling a tab.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cutout assembly in ywhich figures may be mounted in al laminated paper sheet, such that, when the cutout is removed, a ligure still remains in the vacated space.

Another object of my inventionis to provide a cutoutV having a stand for holding it in an upright position after it has been removed from the assembly.

Still a further object-of my invention is to provide a method for producing cutouts in the form of a written inscription. f

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred form thereof, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective ,View of the laminated sheet assembly of one embodiment of my invention showing the cutout after it has been severed from the assembly;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective View of the embodiment of Figure l, showing the various parts of my assembly;

Figure 3 is a perspective view yof a second embodiment of my invention, showing the laminated sheet assembly intact; t

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure 3, but

Ano-ther method is to perforate a sheet ofy ICC showing the position of the cutout as it is initiallytorn Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third embodimentl of my invention showing my'arrangement for producing a cutout in the form of an inscription;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the inscription being cut out of the front layer; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 7 taken online 9-9 and showing the mounting arrangement of the cutout producing means.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figures l and 2 thereof, the numeral 10 designates a laminated sheet assembly or board made from layers of paper or other suitable material which is adapted to contain a cutout or cut free portion 11.l The board 10 is made of three layers, a back layer 12, a center layer 13, and a front layer 14. The front and back layers are thin sheets while the center layer is a heavier sheet, as, for instance, a paperboard.

To form the cutout or cut free portion '11, a portion of the center layer 12 isV cut free from the remainder of the layer. The cutout is then held in its original pre-cut position by the front layer 14 which is adhesively attached to the front surface 15 of both the cutout and the remaining portion of the center layer.

The back layer 12 is adhesively attached to the center layer 13, on its back surface 16, but is not attached `to f the cutout portion 11.

With the layers thus assembled, the cutout k11 is disposed in its original positionV in the center layer 13, sandwiched between the front and back layers, and hidden from view.

To provide means for freeing the cutout 11 from the assembly 10, a filament or strip 17 of suitable material, such as string, ribbon, or wire, is linearly disposed in the cut 18 which exists between the cutout 11 and the remainder of the center layer 12. One end of the strip 17 is passed through an opening 19 inthe front layer 14 to form a tab 20. The other end 21 is adhesively anchored in the cut 18 juxtaposed beneath the portion 22 of the strip adjacent the tab 20. Thus, the strip 17 completely surrounds the cutout and projects from the assembly to provide the pull tab 20.

To make my invention more entertaining, I provide an inscription, figure, or other type of indicia 25 on the back surface 26 of the cutout portion 11 so that it is hidden from view until the cutout is removed from the assembly,

As an additional feature, a second inscription or iigure 27 is provided on the front surface 28 of the back layer 11. The second figure 27 isthus disposed in face-to-face relationship with the figure 25 whenv the assembly is intact, and, like figure 25, is hidden from View until Vthe cutout 11 is removed from the assembly. It is then revealed through the space formerly occupied by the- When the filament orv strip 17y has torn through the i front layer 14 about the complete periphery of the cutout Patented July 29, 1958` 1,1,V the connection between the cutout and the assembly is severed, and the cutout may be freely removed to display the hidden indicia 25 and 27. After removal of the cutout, the indicia 27 are framed by the portions of the center layer 13 and front layer 14 which remain with the assembly. Thus, my invention provides two parts with entertaining figures orr inscription-s, the cutout itself, and the remaining portion of the assembly.

So that the indicia 25y and 27 can be supported on edge for display, I provide support stands or easels 30 on the cutout and on the assembly. The, easels 30 are made of a single piece of paperboard or other suitable material suci'ently rigid to provide support and have` a fold 31 near one end 32. The portion of each easel between the end 32 and the fold,31 is attached at the upper center position on its, associated assembly or cutout and the portion of thevv easel on the other side of the fold 314 is swung outtoform a` supporting leg33. To hold the leg 33 intact with the assembly 104 before it is desirable to put the easel to.useIr,providea spot of adhesive attachment 34 between the leg 33 and the assembly or cutout. The spot attachmentv 34 may he easily torn away and the leg 33 swung aboutthe fold 3:1k to serve as a support when desired.

Although in this; embodiment I have described the strip 11 as disposed inthe cut 18, it will be readily apparent thatthere are other ways of associating the strip with the cutI to` attain a4 like result. For instance, the strip may be made from fiat material and disposed over the cut on the fr ont surface of the center layer 13 bridging betweenthe cutout portion 11 and the remainder of the layer. It could also be disposed likewise on the back surface of the center; layer 13 with the tab, 20 passing thrOugh, the cut 18` to reachthe opening 19. It is, also possible to make the strip of plastic and extrude it into thecut` in, semiliquid form or to form it by making a double cut` around the cutout and use the portion of the center layer 13 between the cuts as a strip.

A second embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures 3p through 6, Inthis embodiment, the laminated sheetassembly 40 is made up of` three layers, a back, layer 42, a center layer 43, and a front layer 44, in substantially the same manner asmy rst embodiment. In thisembodiment, however, the cutout or cut free portion 4lisnotattached toeither the back layer 42 or the front layer 44, but is Aheld'inplace in the center layer 43 merely by the laminar relationship of these layers. Also, I do not provide a strip for severing the front layer 44, but instead attach a tab` 45, directly to the cutout 41. The tab 45v projects through, an opening 46 in the front layer 44 andi when pulled so as` to peelLthe cutoutv 41 out of the center layer, 43,/ tab; end, first, causes the cutoutl to bring sufcient force against the frontlayer to tear it through. Since-the front layer is. adhesively attached to the center layer everywhere except in the area adjacent the cutout, the tearing tends tor take place alongthe border of the cutout, this being the` boundary between the attached and; unattached portions` of the front layer.

When the tear in the front layer is wide enough, to allowA passage of the cutout, the cutout may be slipped outof the assembly, since it is not attached to any of the layers.

In this embodiment, I generally provide indicia 47 only on the cutout, as the front layer 44 is not usually suiciently torn away to make indicia on the front surfacev 42a of the back layer 42 visible. It will be appreciated however, thatindicia could be provided on the back layer 42, and the front layer tornaway to expose it, if desired.

Although the tab arrangement is one of the successful ways of severing an outer layer to get at thehidden cutout, ther-e are, ofcourse,` others. The cut 48 between the` center 43 and c utout 41, for instance, can be made suflciently wide to allow a fingernail or other sharp instrument to travel around it severing an outer layer as it.

goes.` A1so, one of the-Y outer layersr can be attached 4 to the center layer with a releasable adhesive and peeled ott, like adhesive tape, to free the hidden cutout.

It should also be understood that the cutout 41 need not be completely severed from the center layer 43 to make my invention effective. Part of the cutout may remain joined to the center layer and act as a hinge allowing the cutout to swing out of the assembly, in the same manner as the page of a book. This arrangement can also be used in my iirst embodiment, of course.

It do not show easels on my second embodiment, but they can easily be provided, as explained in my discussion of the rst embodiment, if desired. My display assemblies can also be mounted as are pages in a book,

used as novel handouts, placed as gifts in cereal boxes,

and used in many other diversied ways.

A third embodiment of my invention is shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9. This embodiment consists of a laminated sheet assembly 50 having only two layers, a

back layer 51 and a front layer 52, and here both layers are made of relatively thin sheets. Also, the assembly 50 has a vertically disposed fold approximately at its center which divides it into two sections 53 and 54, like the usual greeting card, and provides means for standing The back, layer 51 of the. assembly has an inscription 55 impressed in the surface of the` righthand section 54. A filament or strip 56 is disposed inthe impressed inscription 55 and is adhesively secured therein with one end extended through an opening 57 in the front layer 52 to form a4 tab. 58. The adhesive attachment used to attach the strip 56 to` thel back layer is releasable soi` that` the: strip can be pulled free of the layer without tearing the surface, just as; medical adhesive tape is removed: from the skin.

The front, layer 52 is, adhesively attached to the back layer'51except in the area under the strip, and this attachment is suiciently` strong so that the layers cannot beseparated. without destruction.

An. inscriptionA 59 is placedon the front surface 60` of. section 53 of the front layer which leads up to the hidden inscription 55 on the back layer. Also,` instructions,l to pull the tab 58 are printed near the tab.

When the tab 58 is pulled, the resultant tension on the; strip 56.progrsively raises the strip from the impression, separates it fromitsl adhesive attachment to the back layer` 51, and causes it to break through the juxtaposed portion of the front layer 52, producing a tear which spellsout the inscription 55 (see Figure 8).

To make the manifested inscription 55 stand out more prominently, Il use a different colored paper for each of the layers; for instance, redfor the back layer 51 and green for the front layer 52.

As' will-beunderstood from the above description, it is:also possible to position the inscription 55, or if desired, a figure or4 other typeof indicia, on the backlayer 51 inside of* an impressed encircling boundary line which hasd a strip disposed in it in themanner described. When the tab isv pulled in this arrangement, the strip will cause an encircling tear in the front layer 52 leaving an opening inV its center through which the inscription or figure may be viewed.

From this description of several embodiments of my invention, itwill be appreciated that my method for producing cutouts provides a very entertaining and novel result. I have incorporated the stimulating element of surprise with the intriguing feature of self-participation into a, simple, inexpensive device.

It should be understood, of course, that while the forms shown anddescribedare fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages herein stated, they are primarily illustrative of presently preferred embodimentsof my` invention, and I do not mean to limit myself to theparticular` details shown, other than as defined` by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A display 'assemblyY comprising: a sheet having guide means therein; a cover overlying said sheet and concealing guide means; and manually operable means cooperating with said guide means to sever said cover along a path defined by said guide means.

2. A display assembly comprising: a sheet of material sufficiently rigid to maintain itself upright when disposed on one edge, said sheet having guide means thereon; cover means of material sufficiently light-weight to allow easy manual severance without use of perforations, associated with said sheet and disposed in laminar relationship therewith to conceal said guide means and indicia; and means in said assembly and including a tab projecting from said assembly which, when said tab is pulled, severs said cover means along a path dened by said guide means to reveal said indicia.

3. An assembly of the character described, comprising: a member having a portion thereof at least partially cut free therefrom; a cover member overlying said first member for maintaining said cut free portion in its original position therein; and means cooperating with the cut about said cut free portion for severing said cover member adjacent said cut to release said cut free portion from said original position.

4. An assembly of the character described, comprising: a member having a portion thereof at least partially cut free therefrom; a layer attached to said member and said cut free portion to aid in maintaining said cut free portion in its original position in said member; and a filament disposed adjacent the cut between said member and its cut free portion with a terminal portion extending from said layer which when pulled causes severing of said layer adjacent said cut thereby releasing said cut free portion from said member.

5. A display assembly comprising: two sheets disposed in laminar relationship; guide means on one of said sheets and concealed by the other of said sheets; and a filament disposed between said sheets in said guide means and having a portion thereof projecting from a selected one of said sheets, said lament being arranged such that when pulled it severs said selected sheet along a path defined by said guide means.

6. An assembly of the character described, comprising: a main sheet having a portion thereof at least partially cut free therefrom an auxiliary sheet disposed on one side of said main sheet; another auxiliary sheet disposed on the other side of said main sheet, said auxiliary sheets maintaining said cut free portion in its original (position in said main sheet and concealing itfrom View;

`and means cooperating with the cut about said cut free portion for severing one of said auxiliary sheets, adjacent v:said cut to release said cut free portion from said original position and reveal it to View.

7. A display assembly comprising: a center sheet of material suiiiciently rigid to maintain itself upright when disposed on one edge; said center sheet having a portion thereof at least partially cut free therefrom; a first outer sheet disposed on one side of said center sheet in engagement therewith; a second outer sheet disposed on the other side of said center sheet and attached thereto, said outer sheets being of material sufficiently light-weight to be easily manually severed and maintaining said cut free portion in its original position in said center sheet; indicia disposed on one of said sheets such that said indicia are normally hidden from View but are revealed when said cut free portion is removed from its original position; and means cooperating with the cut between said center sheet and said cut free portion for severing one of said outer sheets adjacent said cut to release said cut free portion for removal from said original position.

8. A laminar display assembly comprising: a layer having a portion thereof cut free therefrom; a front sheet ldisposed on a first side of said layer and attached to both said layer and its cut free portion-to hold 'saidT cutout portion in its original position in said layer, said' layer and said front sheet together being of sufficient rigidity to maintain themselves upright when disposed on edge and said front sheet Abeing of sufficiently light-weight material to be easily manually severable; indicia on they unattached side of said cut free portion; a back. sheet disposed on the other side of said layer and attached thereto but not to said cut free portion; indicia disposed on the side of said back sheet which is attached to said layer and positioned in the area juxtaposed to said cut free portion and in face-to-face relationship with said other indicia, said indicia being normally hidden from View but revealed when said cut free portion is removed from said original position; a filament disposed adjacent the cut between said layer and its cut free portion with a terminal end extending through said front sheet which when pulled severs said front sheet adjacent said cut and completely releases said cut free portion from said layer revealing said indicia; and support means associated with both said assembly and said cut free portion for independent upright edgewise support thereof.

9. An assembly of the character described comprising: A center sheet having a portion thereof cut free therefrom; a first outer sheet disposed on one side of said center sheet and attached thereto; a second outer sheet disposed on the other side of said center sheet and attached thereto; means cooperating with the cut between said cut free portion and said center sheet for severing one of said outer sheets adjacent said cut to release at least part of said cut free portion from said original position, the unreleased part of said cnt free portion being adapted to hingedly connect said cut free portion to said assembly to allow said cut free portion to be swung with respect thereto; and support means associated with said assembly and cut free portion for upright edgewise support thereof.

10. A display assembly comprising: a first sheet having indicia impressed in one side thereof; a second sheet disposed on said first sheet and attached thereto in overlying relationship with the side having said impressed indicia; and a filament disposed between said sheets in the impression of said indicia and releasably attached to said first sheet, said filament having a free end extending through said second sheet which when pulled causes severing of said second sheet in the form of said impressed indicia.

1l. A laminar display assembly comprising: a first layer having a portion thereof at least partially cut free therefrom; means including a second layer disposed in laminar relationship with said first layer and attached thereto for normally maintaining said cut free portion in its original position in said first layer; and means cooperating with the cut about said cut free portion which permit severance of said second layer adjacent said cut to release said cut free portion from said original position, said assembly and said cut free portion both being sufficiently rigid to maintain themselves upright when independently disposed on one edge.

l2. A laminar display assembly comprising: a sheet containing guide means defining a predetermined path; a cover attached to said sheet in overlying relationship thereto and concealing said guide means from view, said cover and sheet forming an assembly sufficiently rigid to support itself on edge; and manually operable severing means operatively associated with said guide means for severing said cover along portions juxtaposed along said guide means.

13. A laminar display assembly comprising: a sheet having a groove formed therein which defines a predetermined shape; cover means attached to said sheet in overlying relationship thereto and concealing said groove from view, said cover means including a layer of material with a portion juxtaposed along said groove and suf- 7 8 ficiently frangible to allow easy manual severance With- References Cited in the file 0f this Patent out use of perforations and said cover means and sheet UNITED STATES- PATENTS, forming an assembly suciently rigid to support itself 1,162,230 Foster Nov 30, 1915 on edge; and manually operable severing means. opera- 2,167,637 Clai Aug, 1, 1939 tivelyy associated with said groove for severing said layer 5 2,547,359 Bacharach Apr. 3, 1951 along said portion juxtaposed with said groove. 2,647,334 Wilsher et al Aug. 4', 1953 

